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Monday, January 14, 2013

Stefan Matteau didn’t know he’d be attending training camp with the Devils until Friday night after his QMJHL game with Blainville-Boisbriand in Halifax.

It was, obviously, welcome news for the Devils’ 2012 first-round draft pick but also a bit of a surprise.

“I was surprised a little bit,” he said today. “It was such last second. They don’t have a lot of guys here, but I’m going to make the most of it.”

So far, through the first two days of this lockout-shortened camp, Matteau is holding his own skating at left wing on a line with Dainius Zubrus and David Clarkson.

“He looks to me like he’s going to be an NHL player and it’s just a matter of when,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said today.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello hinted Sunday that Matteau, the son of former Ranger Stephane Matteau, is here more so the coaches and management can see how far he’s progressed as a player since they last saw him at the team’s prospects camp in July. That opportunity might include getting in a few games at the start of the season before returning him to Blainville-Boisbriand, though.

Underage junior players can play as many of five NHL regular season games this season before it counts as a full year against their contract. The Devils can’t keep Matteau around beyond Friday, however, unless they put him on their roster at least to start the season.

So, a decision must be made in the coming days.

“I don’t know,” DeBoer said when asked if it was possible Matteau will start the season with the Devils. “Lou and I, I imagine at the end of the week, we’ll sit down and discuss roster and play. He hasn’t looked out of place.”

As long as he’s in New Jersey, Matteau intends to do his best to convince the Devils to let him stay. He’ll have more of a chance to show what he can do Wednesday when the Devils bring in their AHL team from Albany for a scrimmage to help the players get a feel for game pace before the regular season opener Saturday against the Islanders.

“I don’t know if the decision is made, but I think to get there I’ve just got to keep playing my game, up and down, play physical,” Matteau said. “Wednesday we’re going to play an actual game or somewhat against Albany and I’ve just got to keep playing.”

Playing in Saturday’s game is definitely something on Matteau’s mind.

“I’ve thought about. That’s my goal,” he said. “That’s why I want to be here. But, like I said, I’ve just got to keep working and keep making the best impression possible. You never know.”

This is Matteau’s first season playing major junior after two years with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. the 6-foot-2, 200-pound left wing is having a solid season with the Armada, putting up 18 goals and 10 assists plus 70 penalty minutes in 35 games.

“The season’s been going well,” he said. “The team has been going well. Guys left for world junior camps and stayed there for the tournament, so we went in a little slump, but guys came back and now we’re picking it up.”

Matteau was one of those who left for world juniors, but ended up being one of the final cuts from the U.S. team that went on to win the gold medal in Ufa, Russia.

“It was obviously frustrating a little bit,” he said of being cut. “It’s not in my control. I did what I could. I guess I wasn’t the fit for them and it ended up being the right decision I guess. It was obviously disappointing. I just want to come back next year and be stronger.”

Matteau said it took him “a little bit” by surprise when he was cut.

“I thought I had a good camp, but it was out my control, so I just kind of let it happen,” Matteau said.

Now, he’s at another camp at a much higher level and doing his best to stay around for as long he can.

“Things have been going well,” he said. “It’s, obviously, a big jump in the pace. The guys are a lot bigger, a lot strong, but I think I’m doing pretty well.”

And having fun.

“For sure,” he said. “It’s definitely a unique experience for an 18-year-old, but I can’t keep living the dream. I have to make a good first impression and that’s why I’m here.”

“I’ve only seen a couple practices,” he said. “I thought he looked good in the rookie camp and, like I said, he hasn’t look out of place here with the big guys.”

That’s what makes DeBoer think he will be in the NHL someday – if not this season.

“Just the way he carries himself,” DeBoer said. “He’s a big, heavy guy that I think moves well. He’s a typical New Jersey Devils forward and those guys are hard to find and he looks to me like he’s going to have a good, long career.”

***Matteau on sitting next to Martin Brodeur in the locker room: “I know they asked him about the whole ’94 thing (his father scored against Brodeur in Game 7 of the conference finals) and having me next to him. He’s a great person and it’s nice to have him next to me.”

***I checked with the Devils and Wednesday's scrimmage is not open to the public.

About

TOM GULITTI has covered the New Jersey Devils for The Record since 2002. Prior to that, he covered the New York Rangers for four years. Gulitti joined The Record in 1998 after six years at The North Jersey Herald News. He graduated from Binghamton University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric-Literature.